Monorail Expansion???

[Woody13]

Originally posted by Fantasia Boi
Nah... keep the original system... it has its drawbacks, but it's a big reason folks stay at the Monorail Resorts.

I agree. WDW should also keep COP too for many of the same reasons.

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Woody13
I agree. WDW should also keep COP too for many of the same reasons.

I say get rid of COP. Not only is it slow (takes something like 20 minutes), you also end up right back where you started when you get off. I think the monorails are much better.

 

[Poncho1973]

Originally posted by MrPromey
Also, it is rather unlikely that the footings ever existed at all and I have yet to see anyone with any authority on this issue actually state otherwise.

There are no footings in the lagoon... HOWEVER, there are 14 unused monorail expansion footings in the ground (I have physically done site inspections of them myself) on the East side of Future World between Test Track and Mission:Space. These are for the leg of the Monorail that was originally planned to head over to what is now Downtown Disney (then known as "The Disney Village"). When Horizons was removed and M:S was put in, the demolition/construction was done around these footings.

Personally, I don't believe that was done because they ever thought they'd actually be used (they were installed in a different time, different place and with different goals in mind than 2003) but rather b/c it would simply be cheaper to avoid them if it could be done. It could and they were avoided.

 

[Figment1986]

Originally posted by Poncho1973
There are no footings in the lagoon... HOWEVER, there are 14 unused monorail expansion footings in the ground (I have physically done site inspections of them myself) on the East side of Future World between Test Track and Mission:Space. These are for the leg of the Monorail that was originally planned to head over to what is now Downtown Disney (then known as "The Disney Village"). When Horizons was removed and M:S was put in, the demolition/construction was done around these footings.

Personally, I don't believe that was done because they ever thought they'd actually be used (they were installed in a different time, different place and with different goals in mind than 2003) but rather b/c it would simply be cheaper to avoid them if it could be done. It could and they were avoided.

The monorail pylongs or beams? (I remember the whole ieda of the monorail crossing the resort to get over to that area from some point,) Aren't those now replacement beams incase of some tragic problem happends when no one is around.

 

[strobe]

Originally posted by mkt
no monorail expansion will occur...

no 5th park (not yet anyway)

no massive 20k reopening

no mission space soft opening today

no expedition everest soft openings tomorrow..

the loch ness monster isn't real

chewbacca is a wookie

any questions?


I hope I covered my bases here...


:lol:

I think the only thing you missed is DISNEY WILL NOT give you free park tickets or cash if you forward those stupid email messages to all of your friends!! I get about 5 of them a day and for whatever reason, people continue to believe this will happen.

 

[PhotoDave219]

For those new to this epic, reoccuring, once every other week stuff about monorails, expansion, ideas, etc, There's a very long 34 page thread that goes into details and specifics (including dollar amounts) about all of this.

 

[Dayma]

I have read soooo many articles on how the Monorail is too expensive and the bus system is cheaper and works better so I doubt we will ever see it expanded...

 

[garyhoov]

The manufacturer of this system: http://www.skytran.net claims it will do 100 mph.

I'd bet people would line up to ride this if all it did was loop around EPCOT and drop you back where you started. (at least I would)

 

[strobe]

Originally posted by garyhoov
The manufacturer of this system: http://www.skytran.net claims it will do 100 mph.

I'd bet people would line up to ride this if all it did was loop around EPCOT and drop you back where you started. (at least I would)

Actually I have heard that the current monrail system could theoretically do this. However, it would require a major suspension upgrade and reconfiguration of the tracks. Not sure how true this actually is, but I have had some lengthy conversations with Disney folks about this.

In the current configuration though, the train would go off the track waaaaaay before it got upto that speed.

 

[garyhoov]

Originally posted by strobe
Actually I have heard that the current monrail system could theoretically do this.

That touches on the real problem with the Skytran system. It's all theory. Theoretically it will go 100 mph and theoretically it will cost 1 million per mile, but I'm sure those are extremely optimistic estimates (the truth often doesn't sell). It seems there are at least 20 -30 variations of a similar theme, but this one looks like it would be the most fun to ride. Handicap access would be a big problem with it as it's configured.

Still . . . I'd love to see someone have the balls to just take a shot at it. Put one in that goes from MGM to Epcot for example. If it works, great, look into expansion. If there are problems, at least you've provided a park to park route and given guests something fun to ride.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by garyhoov
That touches on the real problem with the Skytran system. It's all theory. Theoretically it will go 100 mph and theoretically it will cost 1 million per mile, but I'm sure those are extremely optimistic estimates (the truth often doesn't sell). It seems there are at least 20 -30 variations of a similar theme, but this one looks like it would be the most fun to ride. Handicap access would be a big problem with it as it's configured.

Still . . . I'd love to see someone have the balls to just take a shot at it. Put one in that goes from MGM to Epcot for example. If it works, great, look into expansion. If there are problems, at least you've provided a park to park route and given guests something fun to ride.

Trial and Error... :lol: I LOVE IT!

 

[garyhoov]

Here's the best part. Get the government to pay for it:

http://www.fedmoney.com/grants/20512.htm

 

[mkt]

then Disney would say the expenditure of a 37 cent postage stamp is not in the budget

 

[garyhoov]

Originally posted by mkt
then Disney would say the expenditure of a 37 cent postage stamp is not in the budget

Crap! I knew it sounded too good to be true.:lol:

 

[Dayma]

Still . . . I'd love to see someone have the balls to just take a shot at it.

eeeek at a time where Eisner is being presured to keep costs down I dont think he has the "balls" to do this....nor do I think he should.

 

[WDW John]

Originally posted by strobe
I think the only thing you missed is DISNEY WILL NOT give you free park tickets or cash if you forward those stupid email messages to all of your friends!!

No, that one's true! My tickets came just last weekend, and I'm paying for the rest of trip with the money I'm getting from Bill Gates and AOL. On the actual trip I'm planning on wearing all the free GAP jeans, shirts and hats I received. And, I'll probably drive down in my FREE Honda Accord.

 

[Woody13]

Originally posted by WDW John
No, that one's true! My tickets came just last weekend, and I'm paying for the rest of trip with the money I'm getting from Bill Gates and AOL. On the actual trip I'm planning on wearing all the free GAP jeans, shirts and hats I received. And, I'll probably drive down in my FREE Honda Accord.

You too? Wow I thought I was the only one!

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by strobe
Actually I have heard that the current monrail system could theoretically do this. However, it would require a major suspension upgrade and reconfiguration of the tracks. Not sure how true this actually is, but I have had some lengthy conversations with Disney folks about this.

In the current configuration though, the train would go off the track waaaaaay before it got upto that speed.

Not only that but I imagine that those kinds of speeds would put considerable wear on any suspended cement beams.

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Poncho1973
There are no footings in the lagoon... HOWEVER, there are 14 unused monorail expansion footings in the ground (I have physically done site inspections of them myself) on the East side of Future World between Test Track and Mission:Space. These are for the leg of the Monorail that was originally planned to head over to what is now Downtown Disney (then known as "The Disney Village"). When Horizons was removed and M:S was put in, the demolition/construction was done around these footings.

Personally, I don't believe that was done because they ever thought they'd actually be used (they were installed in a different time, different place and with different goals in mind than 2003) but rather b/c it would simply be cheaper to avoid them if it could be done. It could and they were avoided.

I’m not trying to question your statement but I don’t see where that would have made a whole lot of sense. Sure, Epcot is closer to that area than the main TTC but if they were to extend the Epcot track out to there they would have considerably increased the length of a trip either from Epcot to the TTC or from the TTC to Epcot depending on where it branched. If they were to put in a fourth line that would station at Epcot this would have added a transfer to the process of getting there from the TTC which also would not have made a whole lot of sense nor would designating the front of Epcot the new TTC since it was built without anywhere near the clearance that the current TTC has between it and the nearest park (MK). Lastly, at that time, DTD (the Disney Village) really wasn’t all that happening of a place. As a matter of fact, it was nothing but a small collection of only semi-interesting shops with minimal theme. Two Decades later it has become something pretty big but even with what it is now it wouldn’t really warrant a monorail stop considering how exclusive the line is (as in, it would be quicker to take a direct bus from any resort without a monorail stop than it would be to take a bus to the TTC and then to Epcot and then to DTD)… All the same, Most of what was there at the time was on the monorail (or at least close to it) so it wouldn’t have been all that big of a deal and I suppose plans change over time but that seems like wasted money to be bothering with that kind of thing when your company is already in the crapper financially like Disney was at the time… I don’t know, I wasn’t in their heads so I guess it is impossible to say…

A couple of questions though: Did you work for Reedy Creek or for Disney directly… and would you have to inspect them if they weren’t at the time usable? Again, not trying to interrogate or question your statements. Just curious.

 

[strobe]

Originally posted by Woody13
You too? Wow I thought I was the only one!

Shhhhhhh! You guys - BE QUIET.. I got mine too, but I didn't want too many other people to know that it really works. That's why I said it was fake...